Coaching Cats and Dogs to Better Behavior: A Vet Blog

It can be difficult to find a pet for your kids when you live in an apartment complex. You might have thought of the typical small pets such as hamsters and guinea pigs. However, if you're looking for something more unique, you might want to consider purchasing a chinchilla for your kids. Chinchilla's make excellent family pets. They're very social animals and they seldom bite. If you have decided on a chinchilla, there are a few tips that you'll need to remember for their care.

They Love to Explore

Chinchilla's love to explore the world around them. So, while they will spend most of their time in a cage, they'll need to get out and plat at least once a day. You can either let your chinchilla roam about the house freely, or you can purchase an enclosed exercise ball for it. If you do allow your chinchilla to roam freely, you should make sure that there aren't any electrical cords nearby.

Water is for Drinking Only

While your chinchilla will need lots of fresh water to drink, you should not use water to bathe your new pet. Water can actually harm your chinchilla. To keep your chinchilla clean, you'll need to provide it with a dust bath once a week. You can purchase a special dust known as silver sand at most pet care stores. Place about 2-4 tablespoons of silver sand in the bottom of a bowl. Your chinchilla will climb in and roll around to get clean. When your chinchilla is done cleaning itself, remove the bowl and throw away the used sand.

They Do Need Some Privacy

Your chinchilla will love spending time with you but occasionally it will need some privacy. This is particularly true if there is a lot of noise in the house – such as social gatherings. You can provide a safe haven for your chinchilla by using a piece of PVC pipe. All you need is a 4" diameter piece of PVC Y or T pipe.

This type of pipe can be purchased at most home improvement centers. Before placing the pipe in your pet's cage, be sure to wash it thoroughly with hot water and soap. Allow it to air dry and then place it in the cage. When your chinchilla needs to get away from the noise, it will curl up in the pipe.

If you've decided to purchase a chinchilla for your kids, you'll need to know how to provide for their care and well-being. The information provided here will help you keep your chinchilla happy and healthy. If your chinchilla begins drooling or shows a lack of interest in food, you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. These could be signs of illness. Contact a veterinary clinic, such as the Belle River Animal Clinic, for more information.

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About Me

Hi, my name is Ginny, and I am an advocate for gently training dogs and even cats to better behavior. Over the years, I have owned several pets, and I have fostered literally hundreds of pets through a canine advocacy volunteer program. I have learned a lot along the way about modifying unwanted pet behaviors. Whether you are trying to train your own dog or trying to help rehabilitate an animal who may have been abused, you have come to the right place. Here, I write about everything from approaching distressed animals to reprimanding poor behavior, from staying safe as a trainer to choosing the right vet for an animal with behavior issues and a lot more. I hope that you enjoy the information and that it helps your animal.